Antagonism of thromboxane A2/prostaglandin H2 by 13-azaprostanoic acid prevents platelet deposition to the de-endothelialized rabbit aorta in vivo

GC Le Breton, JP Lipowski, H Feinberg, DL Venton, T Ho and KK Wu

The present study evaluated the direct involvement of thromboxane A2/prostaglandin H2 (TXA2/PGH2) in the process of thrombus formation at a site of vascular damage. De-endothelialization of the rabbit aorta was performed by a balloon catheter technique. Platelet deposition to the injured vessel was measured using 111Indium-labeled autologous platelets. Studies using the radiolabeled TXA2/PGH2 antagonist, 13- azaprostanoic acid (13-APA), indicated that 13-APA has an in vivo half- life of approximately 35 min and is excreted by the kidney in the metabolized form. Addition of 13-APA to rabbit plasma samples in vitro produced a dose-dependent inhibition of arachidonic acid-induced platelet aggregation. When comparable plasma levels of 13-APA were achieved by infusion of 13-APA (300 micrograms/kg/min for 90 min), a similar dose-dependency of inhibition of ex vivo aggregation was observed. Furthermore, at a plasma concentration of 40 microM, 13-APA was found to inhibit platelet deposition to the de-endothelialized rabbit aorta by 45%. Because 13-APA does not interfere with arachidonic acid metabolism, the ability of 13-APA to suppress thrombus formation is presumably due to direct antagonism of TXA2/PGH2 at the platelet receptor level. These findings, therefore, provide evidence that TXA2 and/or PGH2 have a major role in platelet deposition at a site of vascular damage.

Volume 229, Issue 1, pp. 80-84, 04/01/1984
Copyright © 1984 by American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics